small establishment is somewhat the better for being personally directed.

It would be the ruin of such a man to be in London or Bath, without a house to receive him gratis. But I have a great desire to know what kind of person his wife is. Such an inquiry, dear sir, is of importance in taking people under one's roof. Such geniuses do not always match prudently. Yet he expresses a tender solicitude about her, which he could not do if he knew her to be unworthy. We will hope the best.

I have too long intruded on your time, as I know it is of much importance, and will only add I should be very happy to see you under my roof, who have been so long justly in my esteem in concurrence with the public. May prosperity ! Such is the prayer of, peace attend you

and

DEAR FRANK,

LETTER XCVI.

L Cottage.

To ease your extreme anxiety, I write to inform you that I am in the land of the living, and almost miraculously delivered from all my miseries. I felt I could not die, without first letting my dear friend Mr. Allport, of whom I have spoken to you before, know my sufferings, which I thought would plead a strong excuse for the rash and wilful act I was on the very point of executing. The goodness, the benevolence of this true Samaritan, who so kindly soothed my sorrows, and poured balm into my bleeding wounds, is beyond all praise; and should my heart ever cease to remember him with the liveliest gratitude, esteem, and respect, I must become a very wretch indeed. He has raised up numerous friends for me, who have contributed very considerable sums release me from embarrassment; and through him I have returned K the money which he advanced on my MSS. and got them again in my own possession. I must do him the justice to

to

believe, from what I have heard through my late publishers, that misfortune alone was the cause of his not fulfilling his engagements with me. It is my benevolent friend's advice, that I print the Tragedy on my own account, my former booksellers having consented to be my publishers on liberal terms.

He says in his last letter to me, "I deem it so desirable that something should come out just now to keep the flame alive, or to add fuel to that which is kindled, that I advise your acceptance of Messrs. P and M's terms. I deem you speak only of your Tragedy. Your other poem I would have kept back. Let us proceed now, if we can, by those steps that will secure an easy, certain, and advantageous ascent. If your Tragedy sell well, and I do believe it will now, you very soon, I am persuaded, will have some handsome offer for your Poem. In the meantime revise it, and make it as perfect as possible. Messrs. P. and M. shall have an early remittance of £10. to stimulate them to advertise your Tragedy well. Mr. Lisle Bowles has sent you a remittance after reading your work, and expresses himself very warmly about it. I have not heard a word from Archdeacon Fisher, at which I am much surprised, as he informed me

by letter in which he inclosed a pound, to be added to what your friends are endeavouring to raise for you, that he would join any committee to serve you, and if you published by subscription would add his name, use his interest with his friends, and be happy to render you any assistance in his power, which I might please to point out."

Be thankful with me, my dear friend, to that Providence which has done such wonders for me, and worked a way for my deliverance when and where I least expected it. I may say that these my kind friends are fully realizing towards me the wishes of Buchanan, expressed in the following beautiful lines, which I send you translated from the Latin of that author.

"With violets, fragrant herbs, let none presume,
To crown the summit of my lowly tomb;
grace the spot where
my remains are laid,
With the tall pyramid's majestic shade.

Nor

Rather let him, whose proffered love would claim The festive honours of fair friendship's name, WHILE LIFE REMAINS each kind attention show, And ere too late, what friendship asks bestow.

For when the shears of fate have cleft in twainEmbittering thought-sweet life's delusive chain, I care not then should thorns their blossoms shed, Mid the wide ruins of my charnel bed."

LETTER XCVII.

From the Rev. Mr. Allport to Sylvaticus.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

Chippenham Vicarage.

I HAVE written to your London publisher, and directed him to call at a banker's in town for £10., to be applied as you suggested in advertisements. I also endeavoured so to write him, as to excite him to activity and effort in your behalf.

I have the inexpressible pleasure to inform you, that the attention of several persons in and about town has been warmly interested in your welfare; and two of them,-eminent literary characters, have sent to me for some information respecting your early life. One is Mr. Britton, a native of this county, (Wilts,) the well known author of Cathedral Antiquities: the other Mr. Sharon Turner, author of that admirable History of the Anglo-Saxons, &c. Now these two gentlemen, with some others, have offered introduce you to you to the Literary

to